We've all heard it before or we have been the ones to say it. Ugh, being a college student sucks, I am always broke. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly not easy to be a college student where you have to juggle school, work, a social life and becoming an adult. Because we can't do it all at once and sometimes don't have the necessary tools to do what we maybe should be doing, we end up struggling.

Unfortunately, your finances can be one of the first things we neglect. It's easier just to swipe that card on a fun night out that you so desperately need to forget about all the stress in your life than to really be conscious about whether you should be spending that money right now.

The little voice in your head probably tells you not to worry that you will deal with it in the morning.

But then you start to be ashamed about your spending and dread checking your bank account balance because that's exactly when reality will hit you and you can't ignore it anymore.

However, the first step to tackling a problem is to realize that something must be done about it. So once you have plunged into the deep end and looked at the state of your finances you can finally move on and take control of it.

One thing that I have learned that applies to pretty much anything in life, is that once you make it a habit you won't neglect it.

So make it a habit to take control of your finances.

Sit down and take a long hard look at your income and your expenses. How much money do you have coming in each month versus how much money do you spend. Once you have established that look at budgeting. Microsoft Excel has great templates you can use and there are a ton of apps that you can choose from to help you with that.

Every budget will look different because everyone prioritizes differently. Therefore, I am not going to attempt to tell you how much to spend on your various expenses. Rather, I'd tell you to use your common sense and make sure that you don't live above your means and you are able to save a little bit each month if at all possible. The rest is entirely up to you.

The truth is though, the sooner you start taking control of your finances the better. It's an invaluable tool that you will need once you enter the real world and really the only way you will ever achieve any of your major life markers. Yes, it's scary and frightening. It hurts and is uncomfortable.

Everyone feels overwhelmed in the beginning and if you really can't do it on your own, ask someone for help. However, once you have taken control of your spending habits and your finances you will feel a certain empowerment you will have never felt before.

Trust me!